Governance and Management Policy
The board of St Joseph's School is responsible for the governance of our school and the principal manages the day-to-day administration of the school. Our school board and our principal work together to govern and manage the school.
Role of the proprietor
The board and the principal work in partnership with the proprietor, who determines and supervises the maintenance of our special character, and owns, holds upon trust, or leases the school land and buildings. The board is accountable to the proprietor for special character and property and, as a key stakeholder in the school, the proprietor influences the school vision and strategic leadership. Also see Proprietor and Integration Agreement.
School governance
As required by the Education and Training Act 2020 (s 127), the paramount objective of the board in governing the school is to ensure that every student at the school is able to attain their highest possible standard in educational achievement.
To meet the paramount objective, the board meets the following supporting objectives by:
- giving effect to its obligations in relation to:
- taking all reasonable steps to ensure that students attend school when it is open
- any foundation curriculum statements, national curriculum statements, and national performance measures
- teaching and learning programmes
- monitoring and reporting on the progress of students
- ensuring that the school:
- uses
good quality assessment and aromatawai information to monitor and evaluate student progress and achievement, including any assessment or aromatawai specified in a foundation curriculum policy statement Good quality, in relation to assessment or *aromatawai information, means that the information draws on a range of evidence to evaluate the progress and achievement of each student and build a comprehensive picture of that student’s learning – Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020 (s 21).
*Aromatawai is an assessment approach that is based on te ao Māori values, beliefs, and aspirations. This holistic approach takes into account the importance of the environment, culture, community, and individual and collective skills and knowledge in learning and teaching.
- is a physically and emotionally safe place for all students and staff
- gives effect to relevant student rights set out in the Education and Training Act 2020, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, and the Human Rights Act 1993
Student rights within the Education and Training Act include:
- the right to a physically and emotionally safe place (s 127)
- the right to education (s 33)
- the right to an education that meets the specific aims set out in s 5.4.
The Bill of Rights Act includes a range of human rights that apply to students and confirms most of the rights of section 127 of the Education and Training Act, and others, including:
- the right not to be subjected to cruel, degrading, or disproportionately severe treatment or punishment (s 9)
- freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief, and freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form (s 13, 14)
- the right to manifest that person's religion or belief in worship (s 15)
- freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association (s 16, 17)
- the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure, whether of the person, property, or correspondence or otherwise (s 21) – giving rise to s 105-114 of the Education and Training Act
- the right to the observance of the principles of natural justice (s 27)
- freedom from discrimination on the grounds of discrimination in the Human Rights Act 1993 (s 19).
The Human Rights Act protects people from discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, religious or ethical belief, colour, race, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, political opinion, employment status, family status, and sexual orientation (s 21.1).
These rights are particularly relevant if addressing a behavioural matter or if the school is considering a stand-down, suspension, or exclusion.
- takes all reasonable steps to eliminate racism, stigma, bullying, and any other forms of discrimination within the school
- is inclusive of, and caters for, students with differing needs
- seeks to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori students
- takes all reasonable steps to provide for students to be taught, and to learn, in te reo Māori on request of their parents or immediate caregivers
- takes reasonable steps to ensure that the policies and practices for the school reflect New Zealand's cultural diversity
- performing its functions and exercising its powers in a way that is financially responsible
- complying with all of its other obligations under the Education and Training Act and any other legislation.
The board has complete discretion to perform its functions and exercise its powers as it thinks fit, subject to legislation. The powers of control and management of the board are subject to the proprietor in relation to special character (Education and Training Act, Schedule 6, clause 24 (3)). After consulting with staff, students (as it considers appropriate), and the school community, the board may make bylaws that it thinks necessary or desirable for the control and management of the school (Education and Training Act, s 126, s 131).
A school rule made by the school board is a bylaw. Under the Education and Training Act 2020 (s 126), boards are required to consult with staff, students (as appropriate), and the school community when making or amending rules/bylaws, if the rule is:
- made by the board, principal, or other staff member with delegated authority from the board and
- enforced with full compliance in the school, with disciplinary and/or negative consequences for breaching this rule.
School rules that relate to the legal rights of students also require consultation.
Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga: Making and amending school rules (bylaws) 
The board has legislative and regulatory responsibilities, particularly under the Education and Training Act 2020, Employment Relations Act 2000, and Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. As a state-integrated school, this includes the responsibility to uphold the special character of the school in consultation with the proprietor, and to comply with the requirements of our integration agreement. Board members comply with code of conduct requirements, and work within a governance framework that complies with legislative and regulatory requirements and supports the vision and operation of the school. See Board Responsibilities and Special Character.
As required by the Education and Training Act 2020 (s 166), all state and state-integrated school board members must meet minimum standards of conduct. The code of conduct applies to each board member individually. The board can decide to add to the minimum standards of the code. Additional standards must be consistent with minimum code standards and legislative requirements. Amendments to the code must be by board resolution.
Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga: Code of conduct for school boards
The school operates in the context of legislative and regulatory requirements. These requirements include specific actions that need to be completed and reported on at regular intervals. The board needs to be able to demonstrate compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements as part of the monitoring and evaluation process they undertake with the Education Review Office (ERO).
Education Review Office l Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga: How ERO Reviews
The board may choose to delegate some of its functions and powers, either generally or specifically, but remains accountable for any delegated acts (Education (School Boards) Regulations, s 8). Any responsibilities delegated to others are recorded in writing (i.e. in a schedule of delegations).
The board develops and follows strategic planning documents and is responsible for setting policies for controlling and managing the school and giving general policy directions to the principal (Education and Training Act, s 125, s 130). The board ensures that the strategic plan and the policies and programmes of the school reflect the philosophy and goals of Catholic education and our Catholic special character. The board monitors progress against the strategic plan and annual implementation plan and regularly reviews school rules, policies, and procedures. See School Planning and Reporting, Managing Policies and Procedures, and Review Schedule and Board Assurances.
We cooperate with the Education Review Office (ERO) to strengthen our systems, plans, and practices through evaluation and continuous improvement. The school Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report, published on the ERO website, shows that our board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements and shows progress towards addressing any non-compliance.
School management
The principal is an employee of the board and must comply with the general policy directions of the board. The principal is also a full member of the board and is the chief executive of the board in relation to the control and management of the school, with complete discretion to manage the day-to-day administration of the school as they think fit (Education and Training Act, s 130).
The principal has specific responsibilities under the Education and Training Act and as delegated by the board. The principal may further delegate some responsibilities to other staff members. See Principal Responsibilities.
The principal keeps the board informed of all information relevant to its governance role as needed for the board to carry out its responsibilities. See Review Schedule and Board Assurances.
Legislation
- Education and Training Act 2020
- New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990
- Human Rights Act 1993
- Employment Relations Act 2000
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Resources
- Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga: Legislation
: Term 4 2025, Term 1 2025, Term 3 2024
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